Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Cuba Day 24: Rest Day in Remedios

Chain oil doesn't exist in Cuba. More rusty chains here that just keep on working!

I walked out on the route out of town that my maps app suggest for biking to Santa Clara it takes me up into a rural area. And the road is fine it's a dirt road but very big, very obvious and I'm going to bike that way.





Oh my God! I'm grinning from ear to ear! As I was walking back from the road I thought it wouldn't it be fun if someone gave me a lift. And don't you know I manifested it! This wonderful man picked me up in his cart with a white grayish white horse. He even let me drive the horse!! He didn't speak English and my Spanish is so bad but it was fun!!!

YouTube Video

Met some young Russian cycle travelers who were camping throughout Cuba. They made balloon figures and sold them at the town square while playing music.

Met Martin from Australia, a young undergrad in environmental sciences. We had dinner together. Terrible meal.

Water pipe broke at my casa in the courtyard. It's so hard on Cubans when things break because they don't have the money to do repairs. Lisette had to find a friend who could come and gerryrig something together to repair this break in a very old house. It's the pipe from the water tank on the roof of the house. Most houses in town have this, their own private water tower. They fill it with a hose from another house coming out of the ground in the street. Took awhile to figure this out.

Lisette so funny..sweet woman.


Hard to say goodbye. She was one of the few Cubans I met who spoke good English and we could communicate. I got a lot of questions answered staying with her.

Live YOUR dream,

BagLady

Cuba Day 22 & 23

Day 22: Heading out of Sancti Spiritus

Taxis all lined up except they were horse carts:)

A farmer stopped by while I was resting and showed me pictures of his children that live in Miami and he asked me my country, how many miles I do a day, and then he wanted to tell me something else and I didn't understand him but he is so kind and so happy :-)

I'm camped on the side of a dirt road next to a sugar cane field.




My tent spooked this horse pulling a wagon with women in it and broke his bridle. I feel so bad and can't say anything except in English "I'm sorry" and give a sad face. One woman waved as they walked by so I hope she understands. The horses that spook seem to have some life left in them. They've stopped a ways up the road at the main road where they may be trying to repair it. It was a family of gramma, grandpa, son, daughter, and grandson. The little boy wanted to come see me but momma said No. They must just hate us tourists but out here they can't meet too many of us. I hope everything is ok for them.

After two two days with temps over 90*, today was a delightful change. Clouds kept things cooler and tonight it's getting downright chilly..for Cuba:)

Day 23: Arriving in Remedios

The other day I saw people plows: 2 men pulling plow by leaning against a bar with a man standing on the plow behind them for weight to dig into the soil.

I often see men pulling grasses on roadside, collecting fodder for animals back on the farm.

Today this old farmer pulling grass looked up with his toothless weathered grin. I made a mental picture. My best photos are in my head:)

There are lovely pink flowering trees with no leaves a bit like a bottle brush.





People movers are plentiful here:
Horse cart taxis

Bici-taxis
Buses
Backs of bicycles
Motorcycles
Motorcycle sidecar
Trucks with people standing
Farm wagons
Hitchhiking
Bicycles
Cars, old and new
Horses

OK I just just heard my first accident. A dog limping and mangy came running out at me and after I passed an oncoming car hit it and I heard in the car thump and the sound of crumbling metal. Sick to my stomach. Well I think the dog's in a better place. it's dead I think. Still so sad:(. I'm learning a lot about life and death in Cuba because it's a much finer line here.

I arrived in Remedios, a quaint town, with a lovely town square of hotels and a church in pastel colors.








Tourists are bused in. Some that I talked to were with Road Scholar (formerly Elderhostel). Their's was a 6 day trip of Havana and Remedios. They were lunching in an exquisite hotel to chamber music. Really? I guess they didn't really want to experience Cuba. They stay in hotels. So sad. They couldn't believe I was touring Cuba alone much less camping by the side of the road. Aren't you afraid? No, they won't hurt a tourist.

I'm staying at a hostel referred by Abdul, the host at my hostel in Sancti Spiritus. But he called and said I would be here yesterday afternoon about 3-4 pm. I never told him that. I knew I would take 2 days. Poor Lisette waited until 7-8 for me last night. She was happy to see me today. Another lovely colonial house with rooms off the back patio courtyard. Delightful.










It was cool and cloudy today so I forgot sunscreen on my face...the only place I apply it. Oh boy! I got burned! And I'd been doing so well. I'm loving these cooler temps...70s for the next week!

My time is winding down just as I'm getting the hang of things. My Spanish is ever so slowly improving. I can find food although nothing to take for camping. And I'm just feeling more comfortable. I know I need adjusting time because when I can't talk I feel so shy and reticent. That's why I decided to stay a month. I knew this about myself.

At some hostels (Casa particulares) they will cook dinner for their guests. Tonight I'm eating here at my hostel for the first time. Since I've been so unhappy with the restaurants I asked if she would eat with me. She could pick the food and the time. I didn't care. I just didn't want to eat alone again. Dinner smells fabulous!


Live YOUR dream,

BagLady